Ca-Class Fleet Destroyer ordered from Scotts of Greenock with another of the same Class on 24th March 1942. The names originally allocated were HMS STRENUOUS and SPITFIRE but were changed in November 1942 to CARRON and CAMBRIAN. This ship was laid down on 26th November 1942 and launched on 28th March 1944 as HMS CARRON. She was the 8th RN ship to carry the name, introduced in 1813 for a 6th Rate built at Bucklers Hard and last used by a ship sunk a blockship at Scapa Flow in March 1940. After completion on 6th November 1944 she joined the Horn Fleet to work-up for operational service. This name is associated with the ironworks near Stirling which produced the Carronade weapon used by the RN in the late 18th and early 19th centuries but which fell out of use because of its limited range. There are several Scottish rivers and a sea loch with this name (See Post War Notes).

October Contractor's trials and commissioned for service in 6th Destroyer Flotilla, Home Fleet.

November

6th Build completion and commenced Acceptance Trials

On completion of trials and storing took passage to Scapa Flow to work-up

(Note: Recommendations were made for changes to ventilation in Gearing Room and Type 293

radar office during trials of this Class

(See BRITISH DESTROYERS by E March).

December On completion of work-up with How Fleet joined Flotilla.

1 9 4 5

January Home Fleet deployment with Flotilla in continuation.

11th Joined Force 2 as escort for HM Cruiser APOLLO with HM Destroyer ZEALOUS for a minelay

off Utsira island, Norway.

Laid smoke screen between minelay area and mainland to obscure operation during lay

(Operation SPELLBINDER - For details see Naval Staff History (Mining).)

13th Returned to Scapa Flow and rejoined Flotilla.

February Deployed with Flotilla for Fleet screening and convoy defence in NW Approaches

to (Note: Home Fleet ships carried out several operations off Norway and these involved

April Fleet destroyers for screening and attacks on convoys.)

May Deployed with Flotilla for Fleet duties end support of reoccupation operations.

Nominated for service with Flotilla in eastern Fleet.

June Prepared for foreign service.

to

July

August Passage to Trincomalee to join Eastern Indies Fleet.

P o s t W a r N o t e s

HMS CARRON was deployed with HM Cruiser SUSSEX , HM Destroyers CAESAR and CAVALIER to cover the passage of a military convoy taking 5th Indian Division to Soerabaya. The ship continued Flotilla duties in the East Indies until 1946 when she returned to UK and paid off into Reserve. After it had been decided to modernise this Class of destroyer the ship was selected as the first to be taken in hand. Her modernisation was carried out by HM Dockyard Chatham and on completion in 1955 the ship was re-commissioned for service in the Dartmouth Training Squadron. She replaced HM Aircraft Carrier TRIUMPH with HM Frigates VIGILANT VENUS following changes to suit training of Cadets. During 1957 further alterations ware made and all the armament was removed
(see note below). HMS CARRON was redeployed in 1960 and for the rest of her service was used for the training of Navigation and Direction Officers as a tender to HMS DRYAD. During this period she carried out rough weather trials on Liferafts and Survival equipment in the Atlantic Ocean. The ship paid off in February 1963 and was later placed on the Disposal List. Sold to BISCO for demolition by T W Ward in 1967 she arrived. in tow at the breakers’ yard in Inverkeithing near Rosyth on 4th April 1967. This name was again used for a RIVER Class Fleet Minesweeper completed in 1984 by Richards of Lowestoft. This Minesweeper was used for RNR training at Bristol until 1993 when she was withdrawn from service.

I served as a cadet for 4 months on HMS Carron when
she was in the Dartmouth training squadron 1959-1961. We did a stint
off the NW Coast of Iceland in the first 'fish' war and visited
Copenhagen, Hamburg, and were dry docked with prop troubles in
Gibralter. You say she was stripped of all her armament
in 1957. In fact, only B turret 4.7 inch was removed and replaced
by a Midshipmens' chartroom before joining the squadron. She still
had all other armament when I left the BRNC in the Spring of 1961. I
personally manned A turret and the aft Bofors mounting during time
at sea and in training out of the Dart.